1. Musicophilia by Oliver Sachs
This opus is essential for anyone who wants to better understand music and the brain. It is a collection of case studies gathered over several decades by noted neurologist Oliver Sachs. This book is particularly helpful for pianists as it highlights and illustrates the relationship of the mind and memory with music and music making.
2. This is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin
This introductory work serves as a gateway to better understanding the psychological and physiological drive of music. A PDF of the book is available online, and makes for a great beach read!
3. The Singing Neanderthals by Steven Mithen
This book is great for anyone who was wanted to know more about the biological and evolutionary histories of music, and the intertwined relationships of music, speech and consciousness. It is a flowing read, and is a good academic resource.
4. Basic Principles in Pianoforte Playing by Josef Lhevinne
This relatively thin treatise of 48 pages is worth returning to again and again. Written by one of the early twentieth centuries best piano performers and pedagogues, this volume is essential for any pianist's personal library. Lhevine approaches issues of technique and interpretation in a straightforward manner. His ideas on articulation and piano practice are insightful, and helpful to pianists at any level beginner through advanced.
5. A Natural History of the Piano by Stuart Isacoff
This delightful tome serves as an easy introduction into the history of the piano, how they are made and how they have helped influence western history.
6. A Romance on Three Legs by Katie Hafner
This book is a classic text that explores the lifelong search of Canadian Pianist and Bach Master Glenn Gould for the perfect piano. Told in a narrative form it serves as an excellent introduction to the life and times of Canada's Piano hero. This book pairs nicely with the documentary Pianomania, which explores the preparation of concert steinways for some of the world's greatest artists including Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Alfred Brendal, and Lang Lang.
7.The Piano Shop on the Left Bank by Thad Carhart
A wonderful narrative that explore's an American Ex-Pat's encounter with a small piano shop in Paris, that leads him to search for a perfect baby grand. The book explores the romance and grandeur of the piano maker. Carhart encounters some of the best the piano world has to offer: Pleyel, Fazioli, Steinway and Busendorfer.
8. My Young Years and My Many Years by Arthur Rubinstein
These two books encompass one of the best autobiographies of a 20th century pianist. The two volumes span nearly 90 years. These volumes are a great find at garage sales and rummage sales, and are a great resource to understand the psyche of a great pianist, and how war and tragedy steep and mature musical style.
9. Life Between the Keys by The 5 Browns
This delightful book explores the lives, adventures (and misadventures) of the 5 Browns. This quintet of marvelous pianists have been a great phenomenon of the concert world. It serves as a good introduction to one of the most musical families in America.
10. Silence by John Cage
A collection of lectures and writings, it explores the musical philosophies and explorations of John Cage, the greatest avant-garde composer of the 20th century, and father of the prepared piano. Cage's work spans a gamut of expression, and is great brain candy. This work also goes well with Conversing with Cage by Richard Kostelanetz. These books are an eyeopening experience, and challenge the basic understanding of form, and the definition of music itself.
